Photo: Press service of the Office of the President of Ukraine
Ukraine and the United States held three rounds of negotiations in Kyiv on September 6, discussing the end of the war, winter support and security guarantees, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after talks with U.S. special representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Zelenskyy described the discussions as substantive and thanked the U.S. representatives for traveling to Kyiv.
Representatives of France, the United Kingdom and Germany also took part in the talks. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of continued involvement by Ukraine’s European partners.
He jokingly thanked Witkoff and Kushner for coming to Kyiv, saying their presence was “even better than Patriot systems” for people in the capital, while stressing that air defense remains a critical need.
Ukraine prepares for possible winter war
Zelenskyy said the talks also focused on preparations for winter, noting that the possibility of continued fighting remains.
“We very much hope that we will be able to reach an agreement with our American partners and count on support from our European partners if the war continues through the winter — and for now, it looks that way,” he said.
In the event that the war continues, Ukraine expects a winter support package, particularly for air defense and the energy sector.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine hopes to secure substantial access to U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) to strengthen energy security.
Kushner on prospects for peace
Kushner was asked whether he believed the war could end before winter and whether Putin was ready for such a deal.
He said no agreement can be considered certain until it is actually reached. According to Kushner, the process could move quickly or take longer, but progress is impossible without direct meetings and dialogue.
He said the U.S. is working extensively behind the scenes to create conditions for an agreement and acknowledged that the task is extremely difficult.
Kushner also highlighted cooperation with European partners, who he said are actively working to advance the negotiations.
Regarding Putin’s position, Kushner said the Russian president has publicly stated certain objectives, but argued that Russia could pursue other ambitions after the war is resolved.
Security guarantees and reconstruction
The talks also covered security guarantees and Ukraine’s postwar future.
Zelenskyy stressed that discussions go beyond military guarantees and include economic support, reconstruction and recovery.
“We are talking not only about security guarantees, but also economic guarantees for Ukraine — about recovery and reconstruction,” he said.
According to the president, partners are already considering the challenges Ukraine will face after the war and discussing ways to address them.
